Underclassmen kick Lady Vols past LSU

Goals by forwards Genna Gorman and Kylee Rossi, along with another amazing defensive performance, led the Tennessee soccer team to a 2-0 win over LSU Sunday afternoon in Baton Rouge, La.
For the third time this season, the Lady Vols allowed only one shot on goal in the match as they improved to 6-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
“To hold a squad like LSU to one shot is something that I’m really pleased with,” Tennessee coach Angela Kelly said.
The Lady Vols (8-4-1, 6-0 SEC) struck early, scoring at 1:18 on a Gorman corner kick that found the upper-right corner of the goal. The goal was the fourth of the season for the 2004 SEC Co-Freshman of the Year, and it was just the second goal before the 42nd minute for the Lady Vols this season.
The freshman Rossi added the insurance goal in the 83rd minute after controlling a ball in the penalty box that was knocked around following an Ali Christoph corner kick and firing it past LSU goalkeeper Jackie Moseley.
The Tennessee defense continued its outstanding play. The backline of senior Talia Wright, junior Jenny Jeffers, sophomore Erica Griffin and freshman Sarah Van Sickle kept the ball away from the UT goal most of the match. The Tigers fired their only shot on goal in the 81st minute, as senior forward Katie Ripple shot inside the penalty box, but senior netminder Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart snagged it for her only save.
“I thought we came out very inspired and excited to play,” Kelly said. “I’m very excited that we’re 6-0 in conference and that we continue to improve every day and every match.”
LSU (6-5-2, 2-3-1) did not take a shot in the first half, the sixth time the Lady Vols have held an opponent without a shot in a period.
UT had numerous opportunities in the first half, taking five shots on goal in the period. In the 15th minute, Rossi tried to strike from the 18-yard line, but it scooted just right of the goal.
About five minutes later, she had a shot from inside the 18 blocked. Freshman forward Jackie Acevedo, getting her first start since the Mississippi match, fired from about 10 yards out in the 27th minute, but Moseley caught it for the save. Sophomore forward Emily Redberg saw her strike from the top of the penalty box miss to the right in the 30th minute. Rossi had another chance in the 43rd minute that Moseley tapped over the goal.
In the second half, the Lady Vols had a couple of good looks towards goal. In the 70th minute, Christoph took a shot from 22 yards out that missed just right. Two minutes later, Gorman fired from 12 yards out, but Moseley again made the stop.
LSU did have one other threat in the 76th minute, as Ripple won a tussle at the top of the penalty box with Phillips-Bosshart, but Griffin beat LSU’s leading scorer to the ball and cleared it out of harm’s way.
In the match, Tennessee had a 21-1 advantage in shots and a 9-2 edge in corner kicks. The shutout is the Lady Vols’ fifth of the season.
Tennessee finishes its four-match road trip against Eastern Division rivals Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Friday night’s match against the Commodores is slated for a 7 p.m. start in Nashville, while kickoff for Sunday’s game is set for 2 p.m.